in an' brightened up the fire. Well, there, I'm glad mother's well;
you'll enjoy seein' her very much."

Mrs. Todd leaned back into her proper position, and the boat trimmed
again. She took a firmer grasp of the sheet, and gave an impatient look
up at the gaff and the leech of the little sail, and twitched the sheet
as if she urged the wind like a horse. There came at once a fresh gust,
and we seemed to have doubled our speed. Soon we were near enough to see
a tiny figure with handkerchiefed head come down across the field and
stand waiting for us at the cove above a curve of pebble beach.

Presently the dory grated on the pebbles, and Johnny Bowden, who had
been kept in abeyance during the voyage, sprang out and used manful
exertions to haul us up with the next wave, so that Mrs. Todd could make
a dry landing.

"You don that very well," she said, mounting to her feet, and
coming ashore somewhat stiffly, but with great dignity, refusing our
outstretched hands, and returning to possess herself of a bag which had
lain at her feet.

"Well, mother, here I be!" she announced with indifference; but they
stood and beamed in each other's faces.

"Lookin' pretty well for an old lady, ain't she?" said Mrs. Todd's
mother, turning away from her daughter to speak to me. She was a
delightful little person herself, with bright eyes and an affectionate
air of expectation like a child on a holiday. You felt as if Mrs.
Blackett were an old and dear friend before you let go her cordial hand.
We all started together up the hill.

"Now don't you haste too fast, mother," said Mrs. Todd warningly; "'tis
a far reach o' risin' ground to the fore door, and you won't set an' get
your breath when you're once there, but go trotting about. Now don't
you go a mite faster than we proceed with this bag an' basket. Johnny,
there, 'll fetch up the haddock. I just made one stop to underrun
William's trawl till I come to jes' such a fish's I thought you'd want
to make one o' your nice chowders of. I've brought an onion with me that
was layin' about on the window-sill at home."

"That's just what I was wantin'," said the hostess. "I give a sigh
when you spoke o' chowder, knowin' my onions was out. William forgot
to replenish us last time he was to the Landin'. Don't you haste so
yourself Almiry, up this risin' ground. I hear you commencin' to wheeze
a'ready."

This mild revenge seemed to afford great pleasure to both giver
and receiver. They lau